Hemp produces cloth that is finer and stronger than cotton and makes paper finer, stronger and longer lasting than wood pulp paper. The Declaration of Independence is written on hemp paper. Not to mention it grows faster than trees so trees can be saved for lumber production. Help seeds are high in protein and Omega 3s and can be pressed for biofuel. In fact the first diesel engine was designed to run on vegetable oil including hemp oil. The stalk can be used for cellulose. The tomato analogy is apt. Marijuana was criminalized in order to eliminate an excellent natural product so that synthetics like rayon for ropes and diesel synthetics could make their producers rich. When it was discovered that rayon ropes stretched in seawater, the cultivation of hemp was hastily re-introduced and even forced during WWII, then re-criminalized afterwards. This prohibition was overturned as unconstitutional in 1970 then re-criminalized by Nixon to get all those Vietnam war protesters off his lawn. It continues to be effective in identifying and destroying the lives of young persons who are less than obedient. Although some do get away with it. We've all seen the photo of Arnold smoking. As far as cannabis now being stronger, it is a plant, so it can be bred to be weaker, too, or more anesthetizing for pain relief, or more cerebral for artists and musicians. Even law enforcement is against prohibition. Funnily enough, a side use of the initial 1937 law was to drive out Mexicans competing for American jobs. Now it is not only illegal to enforce federal or state immigration laws against Mexicans, but they are actually getting rich and murdering with impunity all along the border towns, BECAUSE marijuana is not legal. So they turned prohibition to their benefit.

Thanks for the input and info everyone. I appreciate it. Regarding multi-grafted trees, for me it's not a matter of space that prompted me to order that 'fruit salad' tree, but rather its cleverness. It looked cool, and I figured it would be fun to have one tree that produces five different fruits. I know virtually nothing about trees--in terms of growing them. Its price ($30) was so low that I figured if it didn't do well, or didn't end up producing all the fruit varieties it was supposed to, it was no big deal. I'm curious about something. What if someone who doesn't know about state restrictions sends something like this tree to someone in a state that restricts its entering? I mean by UPS or FedEx or whatever--which wouldn't be inspected by anyone as far as I know. I have TONS of trees and bushes, some that were self-seeded (mulberry, camellia, fig) and some that I started (avocado), and I've thought about sending some of my excess to friends/relatives in other states. Which is what made me wonder about it the other way around, i.e., someone shipping to a restricted state.

Personally, I would say that it would be worth keeping. I grow a lot of my trees from seeds. Citrus trees "should" produce fruits between 7-13 years. The chances of it producing the same fruit you took it from are about half, the other half would be a hybrid. The Minneola Tangelo is a hybrid grown from a seed. As I said before in another forum if you have yourself a hybrid that produces a new kind of citrus fruit that is delicious and flavorful, you may be able to patent and market it.

I have two maples that give me shade. That said, I am planting hostas, but watching them closely. I have had some that have gotten smaller, I move them, so I don't lose them. I refuse to give up my hobby because of them, so I work around them. I guess it is a challange, but I am not going to cut the trees down and lose the shade they provide. I guess that what I can't figure out is why anyone would plant Maples around houses with septic fields. What were they thinking when they built the house! I guess it was shade quickly. Mary